When should I get medical care for headaches?

Headaches are very common and often go away with rest, hydration and painkillers – but you may have a headache syndrome if you get headaches regularly. It’s important to get medical advice if your headaches:

• affect your quality of life

• wake you up at night

• are triggered by coughing, bending or strenuous exercise

• are a new persistent headache

• are a change in your usual headache symptoms

• affect you on more than 4 days a month

• show up at a similar time of your menstrual cycle

• start or are made worse by pregnancy or peri/menopause

• make you need pain relief regularly